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Rangel Calls for Reinstating Military Draft

Monday , November 20, 2006

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — A senior House Democrat said Sunday he will introduce legislation to reinstate the military draft, asserting that current troop levels are insufficient to sustain possible challenges against Iran, North Korea and Iraq.

"There's no question in my mind that this president and this administration would never have invaded Iraq, especially on the flimsy evidence that was presented to the Congress, if indeed we had a draft and members of Congress and the administration thought that their kids from their communities would be placed in harm's way," said Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y.

Rangel, a veteran of the Korean War who has unsuccessfully sponsored legislation on conscription in the past, said he will propose the measure early next year.

At a time when some lawmakers are urging the military to send more troops to Iraq, "I don't see how anyone can support the war and not support the draft," he said.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who is a colonel in the U.S. Air Force Standby Reserve, said he agreed that the U.S. does not have enough people in the military.

"I think we can do this with an all-voluntary service, all-voluntary Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy. And if we can't, then we'll look for some other option," said Graham, who is assigned as a reserve judge to the Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals.

Rangel, incoming chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, said he worried the military was being strained by its overseas commitments.

"If we're going to challenge Iran and challenge North Korea and then, as some people have asked, to send more troops to Iraq, we can't do that without a draft," Rangel said.

He said having a draft would not necessarily mean everyone called to duty would have to serve. Instead, "young people (would) commit themselves to a couple of years in service to this great republic, whether it's our seaports, our airports, in schools, in hospitals," with a promise of educational benefits at the end of service.

Graham said he believes the all-voluntary military "represents the country pretty well in terms of ethnic makeup, economic background."

Repeated polls have shown that about seven in 10 Americans oppose reinstatement of the draft and officials say they do not expect to restart conscription.

Outgoing Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told Congress in June 2005 that "there isn't a chance in the world that the draft will be brought back."

Yet the prospect of the long global fight against terrorism and the continuing U.S. commitment to stabilizing Iraq have kept the idea in the public's mind.

The military drafted conscripts during the Civil War, both world wars and between 1948 and 1973. An agency independent of the Defense Department, the Selective Service System trains, keeps an updated registry of men age 18-25 -- now about 16 million -- from which to supply untrained draftees that would supplement the professional all-volunteer armed forces.

Rangel and Graham appeared on "Face the Nation" on CBS. end article

_ _ _ _ _

A reinstatement of the military draft will build character and help slow the moral decay that has permeated American society the last couple of decades.

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Im saying no to the Draft...

I expected the Democrats to cut the funding of the war and pull our troops out...WHAT THE CRAP IS GOING ON IN WASHINGTON!!!????

I thought they wanted to make things better, not worse...the draft will make things worse...

Lets look at this logically...Way back when the Draft Was in Effect what were the ways of NOT being drafted...College? Medical Challenges?

OCD, ADD, ADHD, Diabetes, Asthma, Criminal Records, Overweight, Underweight, and many many many more things keep you out of the military at this time, not too mention you actually have to take a test to get into the Military.

The Medical cases i stated all keep you out of the military and more than half the countries population has these "disorders" or "diseases" if you will...So, therefore, numbers for the military wont go up. And what are they gonna do? Pull people out of College? Most all High School Students go STRAIGHT to college...And they arent gonna draft people over 25...

It wont pass...and if it does, then God help them, and God help this Economy. If it passes im glad that im in the military already and ill have rank and good training. Not, crash courses in how not to get killed in battle.

Its all goin to hell in a handbasket, we might as well call it Vietnam...we are fighting a battle that is supposed to be fought til the end of the world...Biblically, its been foretold, this batle will go on and on. We cant stop this war.

Im actually agreeing with Rumsfield on one thing...theres no way in heaven or hell the draft will be brought back...

Welcome back to the 60's folks!

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The rich people and the politicians will get their kids out of it or get them some cushie position and the rest of the people will have to send their sons off....

If you don't want to have a draft than how about NOT invading every country that thumbs its nose at you? How about planning a strategy instead of just rushing in to avenge an old wound? How about planning to be less dependent on unstable, unfriendly countries for oil so we don't have to take their crap?

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If you don't want to have a draft than how about NOT invading every country that thumbs its nose at you? How about planning a strategy instead of just rushing in to avenge an old wound? How about planning to be less dependent on unstable, unfriendly countries for oil so we don't have to take their crap?

How about we elect Jenny as our next president? :bow:

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well it does (it's not perfect, and I wouldn't mind it being abolished), but I wouldn't call Germany "unfree" because of that... :P;)

All I'm saying is that forced military service is not a characteristic of a democracy; it's actually a characteristic of a militant dictatorship.

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I just read the wikipedia article on that theme and I noticed, that our draft system and what would apply to you would be very different...

in Germany we have two kinds of soldiers, the drafted (for 9 months) and the voluntary, professional (Time-) Soldiers.

And it's only the second kind that is 'used' for operations in foreign countrys...

as I've understood it, in the USA you're drafted especially to fly into Iraq, Afghanistan or wherever

All I'm saying is that forced military service is not a characteristic of a democracy; it's actually a characteristic of a militant dictatorship.

again the difference. If you have no choice, wether or not to become a soldier, then I fully agree with you...

eg. here you have the opportunity to do something like a "Civilian Service" instead of becoming a soldier

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Not at all ! Everyone would choose ' civilian service' if given the option ( except the gung-ho ) . No ! No ! If there is a draft all must be thrown in there equally , rich and poor , to address the freely elected governing bodies' will - whether they like it or not . That is republican democracy . Freedom of choice does not apply in exceptional circumstances .

One can always become Amish , however .

You're Jumping the gun , I think , however . Charlie Rangle is mentioning this idea with the full knowledge that it would have to be discussed , debated and voted on

( 3+ years in his estimation , afterwhich the conflict would likely have taken another turn ) . His point was that the services not be disproportionately composed of the poor and disadvantaged ( perhaps Democratic voters ) , but that the sons and friends of Republican members also be at risk . It's an old Vietnam ploy to score points .

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OCD, ADD, ADHD, Diabetes, Asthma, Criminal Records, Overweight, Underweight, and many many many more things keep you out of the military.

Welcome back to the 60's folks!

Don't forget that just as these were intoduced as invalid ( peacetime army thinking ) they can't all or partially become acceptable later ( present thinking- if necessary ).

The 60's - hell , boy ! Didn't you ever learn that history tends to repeat itself ? !

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I just read the wikipedia article on that theme and I noticed, that our draft system and what would apply to you would be very different...

in Germany we have two kinds of soldiers, the drafted (for 9 months) and the voluntary, professional (Time-) Soldiers.

And it's only the second kind that is 'used' for operations in foreign countrys...

as I've understood it, in the USA you're drafted especially to fly into Iraq, Afghanistan or wherever

again the difference. If you have no choice, wether or not to become a soldier, then I fully agree with you...

eg. here you have the opportunity to do something like a "Civilian Service" instead of becoming a soldier

I'm pretty sure that in the U.S., you have no choice. Or at least the easiest way to get around it is leaving the country.

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